diff --git a/packages/anastasis-webui/src/pages/home/ContinentSelectionScreen.tsx b/packages/anastasis-webui/src/pages/home/ContinentSelectionScreen.tsx
index a01aad6bc..ca0119de2 100644
--- a/packages/anastasis-webui/src/pages/home/ContinentSelectionScreen.tsx
+++ b/packages/anastasis-webui/src/pages/home/ContinentSelectionScreen.tsx
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
  */
 import { i18n } from "@gnu-taler/taler-util";
 import { h, VNode } from "preact";
-import { useState } from "preact/hooks";
+import { useLayoutEffect, useRef, useState } from "preact/hooks";
 import { useAnastasisContext } from "../../context/anastasis.js";
 import { useTranslationContext } from "../../context/translation.js";
 import { AnastasisClientFrame, withProcessLabel } from "./index.js";
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ export function ContinentSelectionScreen(): VNode {
   const countryFromReducer =
     (reducer?.currentReducerState as any).selected_country || "";
   const [countryCode, setCountryCode] = useState(countryFromReducer);
+  const continentRef = useRef<HTMLSelectElement>(null);
+  useLayoutEffect(() => {
+    continentRef.current?.focus();
+  }, []);
 
   if (
     !reducer ||
@@ -87,6 +91,7 @@ export function ContinentSelectionScreen(): VNode {
               <div class="select is-fullwidth">
                 <select
                   id="continent-selection"
+                  ref={continentRef}
                   onChange={(e) => selectContinent(e.currentTarget.value)}
                   value={theContinent}
                 >